“It’s Just a Trip… Right?”
Riya stood at Vikram’s cabin door.
“Sir… do you have a minute?”
“Come in.”
She stepped in, slightly unsure but prepared.
“Sir, the client has invited me to Singapore. They’ve planned meetings, a site visit, discussions… and they’ve arranged flights and hotel.”
Vikram nodded.
“Good. That means the deal is moving.”
Riya smiled.
“Yes, sir. So I just wanted to confirm before I say yes.”
Vikram looked up.
“Confirm… or approve?”
Riya paused.
“Sir… it’s a business trip.”
Vikram leaned back.
“Exactly. That’s why I’m asking.”
Riya tried to explain.
“Sir, honestly… this is quite standard. Clients host. Everyone goes.”
Vikram didn’t argue.
He asked instead:
“Who is paying?”
“The client.”
“Flights?”
“Yes.”
“Hotel?”
“Yes.”
“Overnight stay?”
“…yes.”
He turned his screen toward her.
Just one line highlighted.
No overnight stay or foreign travel hospitality without prior written approval.
Riya read it and looked up.
“Sir… but this is normal in business.”
Vikram smiled slightly.
“I know.”
“This is exactly why our Gifts & Hospitality Policy draws a line here.”
Then he asked:
“If this trip was paid by us, would anything change?”
She thought.
“No, sir.”
“Exactly,” he said.
“The meetings are the same. The discussions are the same.”
“Only one thing changes.”
“What?”
“Who is paying for your comfort.“
Riya paused… then asked directly:
“Sir… but you had gone for a similar trip a few months back.”
Vikram didn’t avoid it.
“Yes, I had.”
“So that was okay?”
“It was approved under the same Gifts & Hospitality Policy.”
“And if it wasn’t?”
“Then I shouldn’t have gone.”
He continued, keeping it simple.
“This is not about whether it is business.”
“Both are business.”
“A lunch, a meeting, a site visit —
limited, local, lower-value.”
“But flights, hotel, foreign travel, multiple days —
higher value, longer exposure.”
“That’s exactly where the policy requires us to step back and take approval.”
Riya nodded.
“So basically…”
“If it’s small, we use judgment.”
“If it’s big, we use process.”
Vikram smiled.
“Exactly.”
She picked up her phone.
“Sending it for approval, sir.”
At the door, she turned once more.
“If it gets approved, I go.”
“Yes.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“You don’t carry the decision alone.
Riya nodded.
“Understood.”
What This Really Means
Not all hospitality is equal.
Some stays within interaction.
Some crosses into influence.
The difference is not intention.
It is value, duration, and visibility.
One-Line Takeaway
Low value → judgment | High value → approval required
Disclaimer: This content is fictional and intended solely for creative expression. Any resemblance to real companies, organizations, or individuals is purely coincidental and unintended. The creator disclaims any liability arising from such resemblance.
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